Solitary Symphony
by Zephris
Summary: Two years ago, Naruto asked himself the very same question, “Does he really love me?” Two-shot. SasuNaru. SaiNaru. Sasuke-bashing. Yay.


Solitary Symphony 

Summary: Two years ago, Naruto asked himself the very same question, "Does he really love me?" Two-shot. SasuNaru. SaiNaru. Sasuke-bashing. Yay.

* * *

Five years ahead, they had all graduated from special music programme in university they had attended, coming onto the industry as inspirational young artists.

Ino had always had a thing for imparting knowledge and in turn, 'receiving enlightment' as she so gallantly put it, taking on the job of a teacher at a national music institute head on. Sasuke was a conductor at the theatrics department, following the footsteps of his brother.. Himself? Well he had always been a freelance musician, even back in the old days, had caused Iruka sensei plenty of problems too, still did. Out of the four of them, Naruto had graduated with the second most outstanding grades but according to social status, he was fairing the worst. At first, he had been part of the orchestra that Sasuke played under but after the breakup, he had done a range of jobs from a cruise line musician to a gospel singer, he still had yet to find his calling. Sakura too had been going solo before she was adopted by her friend's band and taken to perform regular gigs at concerts and sometimes even did openings for bigger bands

Speaking of which, to him, Sakura had always been beautiful.

Back in college, she was always elected as 'Homecoming Queen'. He still remembered her flushed rosy cheeks and the rather awkward but proud status she carried herself with as she walked up the stage. Her eyes were in the crowd as she made her speech, always seemingly searching till she found _him._ It didn't take too long for him to notice those lonely emerald eyes that never lingered on his. Her line of vision was always directed to those cold, uncaring ones.

Sadly, he found himself looking the same way.

The bastard was beyond perfect, his strategy for courtship was flawless, Sasuke never disappointed, always making you pine for more, his dates were always idyllic and well-planned, leaving you breathless, even the sex was addicting, he was obviously skilful in the bed. There was no fault in his actions so it was no wonder when both his best friends fell head over heels for him.

They had been close, the people on campus only had to find one to discover the other. They had joked, partied and even threw a few punches, sometimes at each other, often at Ino's and Sakura's attackers. They were a formidable team, equilibrium of love and hate yet along the way they both knew the balance had been drastically tipped, as to which side, neither knew.

When they started going out, somewhere deep down, Naruto knew it wasn't love, this wasn't love. It was too… too easy in a sense. Perhaps that was why Sasuke had to put in extra effort to woo him specifically. He had supposedly broken off with Ino after they had left university but Naruto was no fool he already had his own suspicions.

* * *

Now, as he opened the door to Sakura's apartment, he caught a glimpse of Sakura's face, transfixed as he saw what time and distress had done to the once lovely lady he called his beau. She stood tall and straight near the window, yet her presence was hardly noticeable.

Her once pale pink skin was now a shade of grey, her hair ran askew and had darkened to a sickly light red, her eyes bore holes into the scenery outside. She wore a light white one-piece dress that fell from her bony shoulders to the floor, further highlighting her almost anorexic body. Her limbs were nearly translucent and it pained him to see her in this state.

Upon noticing his arrival, she flocked towards him and they embraced as Sakura slid to the floor in a heap of helplessness, tears cascading down her thin cheeks and leaving a grotesque trail of mascara in its wake.

Sobbing, she clutched onto his shirt desperately, "I don't know anymore Naruto, I'm too tired to deal with all this! The food I cook always remains untouched, he always comes home smelling of another woman, these days, he doesn't even come back anymore. Help me, help me forget please!" her wails echoed through the empty halls, the glass of a photo frame vibrated slightly, the photograph of her and Sasuke tore at the edges.

It came as a shock to him that the headstrong Sakura had reduced herself to such emotional baggage, his own words tumbled out incorrigibly "I can't. I can't." Naruto's voice was hardly enough to convince himself.

"Does he love me? Tell me, Naruto! Does he love me?" she screeched, digging her nails into his jeans.

"_Does he love me anymore?"_

Naruto froze, there was a similar voice back in the box of memories in his mind. It sounded familiar; it was his very own voice.

* * *

He had asked Ino the very same question after Sasuke and him had lived together for a year. Now it all came flooding back, had he been as desperate as Sakura, he wondered. Did he clutch so anxiously to her, he wondered. He probably had. Now, the biggest question was should he give the same faithful answer Ino had given him.

"Sometimes I wonder… Does he love me anymore?"

He had seen Ino's face twist in pain at his abrupt question and vaguely remembered one of Shikamaru's many quotes quotes that he often recited to him countless time before; Naruto had always dismissed them for being too poetic, he was a man of action after all.

_The flame of anger, bright and brief, sharpens the barb of love._

Ino face melted into empathy, placing his hands in hers and soothingly stroking his arm. He hadn't cried outright but the tears and bottled up emotions were tipping over the brim, she had been like a sister to an orphan like himself, always bailing him out of trouble and cooking him meals occasionally. They had shared many laughs together.

"I'm sure he does."

"_I'm sure he does." _

The next day, he went to Ino's workplace to offer her some dumplings he had_ tried_ to make, courtesy of Iruka. He inquired the receptionist and made his way to the west wing, on the third floor of the huge building, the door of the staff room on the left corner was left slightly ajar. He peeked through, attempting to scare his friend only to be met with a scene; he'd thought he would only see in crappy chick flicks.

Sasuke was banging Ino into the desk.

Without delay or informing anyone, Naruto packed his bags and made a living on a cruiser with his fellow jazz players. Enjoying the monotone landscape of endless sea and surrounding himself with beautiful people and great booze.

Two years, it took him two fucking years to forget the heartache, he was already broken inside, it took him two years to even begin to mend the broken strings, to cover up his bloodied wounds. It wasn't Sasuke's betrayal that suffocated him but Ino's, what was even wors was that he couldn't even fight back, it wasn't in his nature to just remain by the side lnes but since there wasn't even anything to give up so what was there to strive for in the first place?

Two years, he got off the huge ship and bid farewell to Shikamaru and Sai, a journalist on a well-sought holiday and a lone painter looking for inspiration. They had gotten close but looking at Sai was much too pitiful and their friendship would have ended sooner or later anyway, their scope of interest was much too varied.

The first person he wanted to visit after so long was Sakura, seeing as she wasn't doing too well from her messages and distress calls, he had written a list of jokes as long as Santa's presents to cheer her up.

Now, the same words haunted his soul, every syllable like a dagger urging him for revenge.

_The flame of anger, bright and brief, sharpens the barb of love._

He reaches out to encircle his arms around her neck, kissing her forehead and stroking her hair affectionately, laying her pink tresses on his hard chest and listened to her ragged breathing and stared out into the window.

_I would never hurt her._

"Ofcourse he does silly." his own voice sounded foreign, it was another Naruto speaking this time, one who was irresponsible and deathly cruel.

"Who else would he love but you?" Naruto wondered too, how many had Sasuke played with before her? There were so many names, so many hints but he had been blinded, people in love are so blinded.

The girl in his arms wiped her tears and sniffed, "Y-you're right! Ofcourse!" She giggled, her voice tipping off hysterical. She wriggled from his grasp.

"Sasuke loves only me."

"That's right." Naruto no, the _other _Naruto replied, flashing a grin as he fed the lie but he could hardly recognize Sakura's face as she smiled back at him, he was a stranger in this threshold, stranger to this room where he had once ate, laughed and cried before. He had to get away from here. _Quickly._

"Will you be ok on your own? I'm sorry but I gotta pick something up. If you reallllly want me here though, I don't mi-"

"It's ok" She laughed heartily, swiping the fresh tears with the back of her palm.

"Wait for a moment," She fetched some cookies off the counter and wrapped them in glittery orange paper before giving them to Naruto as a present. Scratching his head, he accepted them, suddenly feeling a need for formalities, usually, he had to beg for the sweet treats whenever he visited but Sakura would always oblige, because they were best friends. Because they were family.

They bid their farewells and Naruto hurriedly disappeared around the corner of the block, not daring to meet Sakura in the eyes, choosing instead to rush towards nowhere before pausing and entering an empty alley where the trash bags littered the small column and the smell was absolutely unbearable.

Out of sight, he wrung the cookies on the floor with much force and stepped on them with a purpose, watching in sick satisfaction as the pretty wrapping turned brown and muddy hearing in pleasure as the biscuits were crushed right below his feet before kicking the pitiful remains to the side.

Reaching for his pocket, he pulled out a cigarette and fumbled for his lighter. He had never really noticed it before but the flickering fire entranced him to no end. Admist the heat and smell, he recognized a face within the dancing flames and dropped the lighter in surprise, successfully setting up a small fire that was quick to spread due to the litter and thrash bags. Soon, the whole place was ablaze and crackling with the forked tongues of the flames.

Horrified, he fled the sight.

_The flame of anger, bright and brief, sharpens the barb of love._

* * *

Author's crap:

None of the quotes belong to me ofcourse. I've already written the second chapter but it doesn't seem to be good enough, seems to me a little OCC though. This is quite obviously unbetaed due to my lack of social skills, so if you see a mistake somewhere, feel free to laugh, throw tomatoes if you'd like but please forgive. Oh, and review.


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